Am I being totally unreasonable?

amother

Coral

Wed, May 11 2016, 9:05 pm

A friend recently bought me an adorable baby hat as late-baby gift. It said on the receipt it was exchangeable for 4 days. The day she dropped it off I was running a fever, which turned into full blown pneumonia which kept me out of commission for almost 2 weeks. I went to the store today to request just exchanging it for color - I wanted to get one that matches her coat.

I shop in this hosiery store all the time - I probably spend over $1000 a year there. It's my go to place for socks, shells, lingerie you name it. I stocked up on a bunch of camp stuff and went to the register to pay and requested from the young girl that I exchange this hat (current season, 2 weeks out of the store, still in the original packaging with tags attached) for color, maybe style. She said no, it's too late. I asked to speak to the manager, who definitely knows me and she didn't want to let. I went to the back to find her and the manager sent a message that she's unavailable and she can't help me.

I walked out of the store, leaving my entire order on the counter. I plan never to go back to the store. Honestly, I'm probably punishing myself (I liked that store), but there are more stores that sell this type of stuff and I don't feel like supporting a store that wont go the extra mile.

Did I ask for something completely and totally unreasonable?

Wed, May 11 2016, 9:13 pm

It could go either way.

Yes, you are a good customer and it would be nice if an exception were made for you.

However, if it is a small business, having a very strict return policy may be essential for survival. And if an exception is made for you, the owner/manager may fear having to make exceptions for many others, whether they are special customers or just think they are.

cnc

Wed, May 11 2016, 9:55 pm

amother wrote:

Aren't returns and exchanges very different things? I got it as a gift. It should be no skin off their back to take a purple hat back and give me a pink one. No?

Correct.

And this is why I hate shopping in locally owned stores with stupid return policies like this.
They argue that they need to implement these policies in order to survive.
Okay, I understand that. But they need to understand that I find it very difficult to shop in stores that only offer same day money back etc...
That doesn't work when I buy clothing without my kids and need to try it on them when they come home at 5 PM. I'm not running back to the store right then and there if it's not good.

I'll stick to my department and online shopping with 30-90 day returns like a mentch.

flowerpower

Wed, May 11 2016, 11:15 pm

They were wrong. I'd go back and discuss it nicely with the manager once again- or ask for the big boss.
We had this discussion many times here that working in retail is very hard. A lot of customers are terrible so they have to make rules and stick to it. Big department stores can handle these loses. Local retail stores can't.

amother

Pewter

Wed, May 11 2016, 11:22 pm

looking at it from a store owner's perspective, it is a seasonal item. you are right that it's only 2 weeks later, but with each passing day, hats are no longer necessary as summer approaches.
I second what a pp wrote to either revisit the store at a quieter time to discuss this experience, or, even wiser would be to call in and share over the phone.
As a store owner myself, I know all too well where this attitude stems from. Believe me, we are forced to implement stringent return policies as unfortunately, the system gets abused. That said, I would definitely appreciate if a customer calls in to say that she fell ill and can't make it back for a while to exchange. I have no issue marking this under a customers account and accomodating this request if it's done in a respectful manner.

amother

Rose

Wed, May 11 2016, 11:22 pm

I think the trouble with going back to explain, is that you might wind up sounding like an entitled person and looking like the bad guy. The thing is, that technically, they can have whatever return policy they like. So you going back to complain about it when they already treated you badly may not be effective at all, you'll just get frustrated, and end up looking like an idiot.
But I'm totally with you that you're not being unreasonable. They can have whatever return policy they like, but you don't have to shop there. I don't get why some small businesses in highly competitive areas don't see the value of customer service.
Anon, in case anyone can figure me out from this story:
When I was younger, I used to go with my friends to a diner to get their $5 breakfast special.
One day, I brought a new friend, and when they asked how he would like his eggs, he said with cheese on it. When the bill came, they had added a dollar for the cheese. This may be standard for those in the know, but he didn't know and they didn't tell him it would cost the additional dollar. The guy argued about it, and then the manager sitting in the back, publicly shamed him, making fun of him for needing the dollar off of what was already a cheap special. I remember being so upset, first that he had shamed my friend, and second, that I came there so often, and he knew me, and he's going to now treat a "regular"'s friend like that? I never went back for that special again. Yeah, that was cheap breakfast and he may have not lost much, but my grandmother also loved to go there for dinner, and when she would recommend that place, I would pick another. If I were a different person, I could have bashed this restaurant to all my friends. It's over a decade and half later, and this is still what I associate this diner with. Customer service matters!

WhatFor

Wed, May 11 2016, 11:24 pm

amother wrote:

looking at it from a store owner's perspective, it is a seasonal item. you are right that it's only 2 weeks later, but with each passing day, hats are no longer necessary as summer approaches.

Yes, but she's not asking for a refund. She's asking to change the color. If hats are no longer necessary, what difference does it make if they give her one color over the other?

cnc

Wed, May 11 2016, 11:25 pm

amother wrote:

I can understand if you don't want to take the hat back 2 weeks into the season, but why does it affect you if the customer wants to exchange it for a different color? You're technically being left with the same stock as before the exchange?

pause

Thu, May 12 2016, 10:13 am

I don't own a business or a store, but as a customer, I can tell you that the number one thing that makes me decide where to shop is CUSTOMER SERVICE!!!

There are certain stores I will never set foot in because of the way they treated me as a customer or their inane policies that were to my detriment. Store owners must realize that as much as they think they lose out from granting the exchange or even the return, or honoring an advertised sale price when customer is paying with store credit, or not charging extra for payment by credit card, or a bunch of other situations I had... they are gaining way way more than the loss.

Then there are other stores I will always go to as a first resort because the store owner allowed me to pay for one skirt and take home two if I would return one by the end of the day because I forgot to bring the top with me, or because the salesperson gave my hyper toddler a cookie to help keep him quiet while I tried on clothing, or because the salespeople are nice and actually help you find what you're looking for but they don't pressure you into buying something (I once had a saleslady tell me "You don't need a new weekday top? It's a great price, and you deserve it. Treat yourself to something new." and I promptly marched out never to return.)

sky

Thu, May 12 2016, 10:27 am

I once got a newborn stretchie as a baby present. It was exchangeable (not returnable or for store credit) within 3 days.

It was too small on my baby. There was no way I was getting to the store 5 - 8 days after having a baby! And I couldn't have someone just return it for a store credit for me, it had to be exchanged that Day. Are stores realistic of what mothers are capable of doing?. A friend of mine offered to exchange it for me because it was a ridiculously expensive stretchy and it was a shame for it to go to waste. But what she picked out cost less than the stretchie - and there was money left over but not enough to buy something else in the store. And they wouldn't give store credit. I couldn't figure that out - they have our money - do they just want to keep the difference ? And if I cam back with the store credit one day I could just buy something else and add money and they would gain in the end (and newborn layette rarely goes on sale because it has to be bought when needed).

Fox

Thu, May 12 2016, 11:43 am

My guess is that this store has been victimized one too many times by customers attempting to pull various shtick, and they've simply decided to stick to their guns.

Why such a draconian return/exchange policy? I'm willing to bet they didn't come up with it out of the air. Perhaps they discovered that people were making purchases, using them for a special occasion, and then returning them. Or perhaps they discovered people attempting to exchange items that were really purchased elsewhere. The thievery that otherwise upstanding people commit is generally beyond the imagination of those of us who are basically honest.

I like the idea of calling the manager/owner personally and explaining the situation in a non-complaining way. However, she may be unmoved -- I'm sure she's heard it all.

Despite the fact that all of us claim we value customer service, retailers in America have learned that we're lying through our teeth. We shop based on price with one eye on quality. If a similar store opens down the street and sells the same merchandise for 10 percent less, all the great customer service in the world won't save them.

Even if you personally patronize independent stores based on service, you are unusual if not unique. Look at all the threads here on Imamother that start with, "Where's the cheapest place to buy X?"

Hatzlacha, and if nothing else, you can always re-gift the hat!

amother

Babyblue

Thu, May 12 2016, 11:54 am

Fox wrote:

I find that I go for best price available for decent quality but when a vendor outright wrongs me and is nasty to me I don't return even if I'm hurting myself by losing out because I will not give business to such places.